In the visual arts, texture is the perceived surface quality of an image or work of art. It is an element of two-dimensional and three-dimensional design and is distinguished by its perceived visual and physical properties. Use of texture, along with other elements of design, can convey a variety of messages and emotions. For example, use of rough surfaces can be visually active, while smooth surfaces can be visually restful. Physical texture, also known as actual texture or tactile texture, are the actual variations upon a surface. Physical texture has a physical quality that is a combination of how the surface looks, and how it feels to the touch. For example, in a painting, physical texture is based on the paint, and its application, or the addition of materials such as ribbon, metal, wood, lace, leather and sand either on the surface of, or mixed with, the paint.
Visual texture is the illusion of having physical texture. Every material and every support surface has its own physical texture that needs to be taken into consideration before creating a visual image which is meant to emulate that physical texture. For example, materials such as canvas and watercolor paper are considerably rougher than, for example, photo-quality computer paper and it may be difficult to create a flat, smooth texture from an image shown on such materials. Photography, drawings and paintings use visual texture both to portray their subject matter realistically and with interpretation. Visual texture in those media is generally created by the repetition of shapes and lines. Simulated texture creates the visual effect of texture without actually adding texture. For instance, texture may be created to look like something other than paint on a flat surface. Alternatively, an image may create the illusion of ripples through the repetition of lines.
Today, the term stylus generally refers to an input tool used with Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), graphics tablets, Tablet Personal Computers (PCs), and Ultra Mobile Personal Computers (UMPCs). Modern day styli generally take the shape of a writing instrument, such as a pen, and are made to comfortably fit in the grip of a user's hand. These styli can be found in all different sizes and shapes. Some styli may extend and contract into small, pen-like cylinders, which are easy to store. Other types of styli may be larger or contain additional devices such as microphones.
In electronic applications, the user operates a touchscreen with a stylus, rather than using a finger in order to avoid getting the natural oil from the user's hands on the screen. Use of a stylus also improves the precision of the touch input, allowing use of smaller user interface elements such as icons. Styli may also be used for handwriting or drawing on a touch-sensitive surface such as a computer tablet screen and may assist a user to accurately navigate through menus, send messages etc. As electronic devices have evolved, they have been used more frequently by engineers, artists and other creative individuals for artistic drawings, image creation, graphic design and other uses.
When a user of an electronic device, such as a graphics tablet or a PC, attempts to create an image which includes visual texture, that user may be limited in the type of physical texture he or she can simulate. Thus, it is generally left to the creativeness and efforts of the user to determine the methods and types of visual texture which may be provided. Accordingly, an improved device, method and/or system for capturing, storing, and providing visual texturing information from an image of a sensed surface to an electronic device may be useful in permitting the user to create an image which emulates the texture of the surface that was sensed.